Brace foe



vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DWIGHT GIBBONS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK STARR, OF

' ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

BRACE FOR PIANO-FRAMES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,188, dated January 2, 1855.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be itknown that I, DWIGHT GIBBO'NS, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe, the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements for Strengthening a Pianoforte Plate or Frame; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the let ters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a pianoforte, with a diagonal brace extending from at or near the right hand front corner to near the center of the back, extending above the. plate to which the strings are attached. "Where an entire metallic frame is used, I sustain the brace at each end by means of metallic abutments (so called) firmly fixed or cast onto the metallic frame. In case the entire metallic frame is not used, but the metallic plate only, I sustain the front end of the brace by an abutment cast on or firmly fixed to the front corner of the metallic plate, and the other end, by an abutment attached to the rest plank, near the middle of the back. The brace may be either solid or cylindrical, and may be so adjusted as to sustain any amount of strain and entirely prevent the inward tendency of the back and front corner.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1 shows the metallic frame with my diagonal brace attached. Fig. 2 shows a section through A B Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a section through C D Fig. 1. Fig. l shows the brace. Fig. 5 shows the edge of the back of the frame.

E F and Gr, Fig. 1, show the plate.

E F G I-I I J and K, Fig. 1, show an entire metallic frame; when an entire metallic frame'is used the plate forms a part of the frame. The part of the plate shown F, Fig. 1, shows the suspended point of the plate. The part of the plate marked H shows the back of the frame.

L and M, Fig. 1, show a diagonal brace whc/h extends from near or at the right hand front corner of the frame or plate to near the middle of the back, which are the two weakest points in the instrument.

N and O, Fig. 1, show abutments which are cast on, or firmly xed to the plate or frame.

P, Fig. 2, shows a section of the back of the frame through A B, Fig. 1.

Q, Fig. 2, shows a section of the abutment shown O, Fig. l.

R R, Fig. 3, show a section of the plate or frame through line C D, Fig. 1.

S, Fig. 3, shows a section of that part of glei) frame shown K, Fig. 1, through line T, Fig. 3, shows a transverse section of the brace L M, Fig. 1.

U U, Fig. 4t, shows grooves in the brace Aby which it is adjusted against the abutments shown N O, Fig. 1.

V, Fig. 5, shows the edge of the back of the frame.

The dotted line W, Fig. 5, shows the line of the abutment shown O, Fig. 1.

The dotted line X, Fig. 5, shows the line of the diagonal brace L M, Fig. 1.

Now, it will be seen that by the brace extending from, at or near, the right hand front corner, to near the middle of the back, between the weakest points of the instrument, as has been described, I secure that most desirable result of keeping in tune, beyond anything before known.

I-Iaving thus described the construction, and operation of my invention, I do not claim any method of bracing from the suspended point of the plate F to the iron frame, rest plank, or back, knowing them to be in use. But

What I do claim as my invention, and

'desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The making use of a diagonal brace, extending above the plate and strings operating in the manner, and for the purpose substantially as herein described and set forth.

DWIGHT GIBBONS.

Witnesses:

HENRY SEoUr., FREDERICK STARR. 

